Bipolarity
by Matylda Tyler
Summary: A curious curse was put on most members of the group and it is up to Kagome and Sesshoumaru to find the cure. Their quest might do more than just change their friends back. Maybe they'll change in the process, too.


**A/N:** Finally the first chapter of _Bipolarity_!

**Disclaimer**: _Inuyasha_ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

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**Chapter 1 – The Flock**

"Inuyasha!"

Another day, another battle.

"Damn it, wench, keep it down, will ya?!"

Nothing the group wasn't used to.

"Well, be careful! You could destroy half of the village with just one swing!"

"I'm not aiming at the goddamn village!"

"I can see that! You're not aiming at all!"

Inuyasha landed next to her. "Quit shouting! It's distracting me!"

Kagome notched another arrow and let it loose on the swarm of disturbing creatures. "Inuyasha, just-"

"Kagome-chan, duck!"

Inuyasha's clawed hand hastily grabbed the back of Kagome's neck and pulled her down, just as Sango's Hiraikotsu swished above their heads and impacted with its target – one of the swarmers that left the others.

"You ok?" he asked immediately, giving her a quick once-over while pulling her back up.

"Of course," she answered absentmindedly, turning around to check on Sango, who was sitting on top of Kirara high up in the air, Hiraikotsu back in her hand.

"Keep your eyes peeled, it seems like they're breaking up their ranks."

"Right," she said, getting another arrow ready.

"You sure you don't wanna go back inside the hut and help Miroku hold up the barrier?" he asked hopefully.

"Kaede's helping him, the kids are safe."

"Keh, dunno if the old hag is still any good for-"

"Inuyasha," said Kagome with a hint of warning in her voice.

"Fine! Stay! Do whatever you want! But don't come crying to me when-"

A huge explosion and a flash of white piercing light cut his ramblings short, momentarily blinding everyone present. When the light finally died out, Inuyasha turned towards its creator.

"Oi, Sesshoumaru! The hell you trying to pull?!"

Sesshoumaru stood on the far side of the clearing, levelling his calm gaze at Inuyasha. "Tell me, Inuyasha, what is your current count?"

Inuyasha gripped Tessaiga more firmly in his hand. "Oh no, you don't!" he snarled and took off towards the swarm of flying demons. "I'm not gonna let you win so easily!"

Kagome sighed. Only these two could make an attack on the village into a competition to see who would kill more demons. She'd hate to be a party pooper but an attack was definitely on her list of things to be taken seriously. But at least the brothers somewhat got along.

She turned her head to look once more at Sango and Kirara and saw them chasing down a pair of renegades through the air.

These particular demons were of a nasty sort. They looked like some prehistoric birds, for the lack of a better word. Their bodies were covered in dark beige featherless skin, the small heads were dominated by large long beaks complete with sets of sharp teeth, and their talons were almost comically too big for the rest of their body. They frantically flapped their wings to stay up in the air, steering clear of the ground. They weren't overly smart, usually heading straight to their death. However the threat came from their numbers and speed. They acted like a huge unanimous ball of birds, much like a school of small fish pretending to be a big one, only they didn't use it for defence but quite the opposite.

Kagome expertly pulled the bow taut and released an arrow which wedged itself deep into one of the few solitary demons, making it screech faintly and disappear along with the pink light of her spiritual powers.

Seeing no others close enough to dispose of, she turned her attention to the brothers fighting the still massive ball of birds. Inuyasha took to chopping them in twos and threes from the outside of the sphere while Sesshoumaru, it seemed, was trying to fight his way to the centre with adamant vigour.

"Why is he trying to-"

THUD.

Kagome stopped in the middle of her musings and whirled around, hearing the sound behind her, and froze in shock. About ten of the ugly birds landed on the roof of the hut where the others were hiding and proceeded to wedge their talons into the wood.

Kagome shook out of her stupor and whipped out an arrow as fast as she could. The first two birds disappeared in an explosion of pink light but the others had already begun tearing the hut apart. Kagome watched in horror as she finally realised what the talons were being used for. As the roof was torn right off and two of the walls fell outwards to the ground, Kagome wasted no time and ran through the risen dust towards the ruins. "Miroku! Shippou! "

"We're alright!"

Kagome skipped over one of the fallen walls and dropped to her knees in front of the purple barrier, surveilling her friends. "How are you holding up?" she asked breathlessly, noticing that both Miroku and Kaede were focusing on the barrier with their eyes closed and Kohaku was sitting behind them with his arms around Rin and Shippou.

"We should be able to hold the barrier up without a problem provided the battle doesn't last too long," answered Miroku, his eyes still closed. "However, Kagome-sama," he paused and lowered the volume of his voice, "I feel an ominous presence."

"It's the birds, you wouldn't believe how big-"

"It's not that," he interrupted her, "there is a powerful darkness nearby."

"How near?"

"Kagome-chan, look out!" sounded Shippou's terrified voice.

On instinct alone, Kagome threw herself to the right, landing on her stomach, hearing rather than seeing the demonic bird hit the barrier in the place where she was kneeling a mere second before, and the sizzle of his burning flesh.

"Kagome!"

But this time, the warning was useless. Still lying in the dirt, she gasped as a pair of giant talons dug into her shoulders and she felt herself being jerkily lifted into the air.

"Kagome-sama!"

"Kagome!"

As she was swiftly lifted above the small cloud of dust surrounding the former hut and saw the dim light of the barrier gleaming far below her dangling feet, she only had one thought:

"Oh man, not again!"

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**A/N:** Thank you for reading this far! _Bipolarity_ is going to be a short chaptered story.

Though you can't really tell yet, it will be focused on Kagome and Sesshoumaru, as I've always wanted to write about his character and I finally have the chance.

I honestly hope you will enjoy it at least a little bit.

Take care,

Matylda


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